What do older people need in the federal election?
9 Apr 2025
Shane talks to Patricia Sparrow, CEO of COTA Australia, about how the cost of living crisis is affecting older people and what COTA is calling for during the federal election campaign. Find out more about COTA's federal election statement here or check out HAAG's election resources on our website.
In the lead up to the next Federal Election which will be called in 2025, there is real momentum for change to address older person's homelessness across the country. Our voices are powerful and the housing crisis gripping Australia will be a key election issue.
We encourage you to contact your local federal representative and other local candidates to request meetings to talk about the issue of older person's homelessness and what needs to change. Local members are often keen to meet their constituents, especially when there is an upcoming election. They are interested in local concerns and with the right information, encouragement and clear recommendations, you can be a champion for older people and their housing issues.
HAAGs submission to the consultation on Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy 2026-30 calls for a have a specific focus on supporting older Victorians, particularly those who are financially disadvantaged, in recognition of the disproportionate impact of climate change on older people. We recommend that the Strategy acknowledges the links between climate change and housing, supporting calls for a significant increase in the number of public, community and affordable housing. We also recommend strengthening minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties, and improving the ability of public and community housing to withstand extreme heat events, with a priority on 55+ public housing stock.
The Victorian Government's plans to "retire and redevelop" public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne raise serious concerns about the future of genuine public housing. While residents have been promised relocation assistance and the right to return, the proposed redevelopments will only increase "social" housing units by a mere 10%, with the majority of new apartments being privately owned. Critical details regarding land ownership, development types, and the preservation of public housing remain undisclosed. Our submission makes recommendations to address these serious concerns.
Join us at the expo to discover community support and programs for yourself and your family. Connect with local service providers on a range of topics such as housing, aged care, allied health, Centrelink, community legal service, family violence support, family and children services and more.
Our joint submission alongside a wide range of community and legal organisations calls on the inquiry to recognise these shared principles, respecting the rights of Public Housing tower residents!
HAAGs submission to this Victorian Parliament inquiry draws on the experiences HAAG hears about the serious lack of homes for older people in regional Victoria. We call for a range of measures to ensure older people in regional Victoria have secure and appropriate housing, including: increasing public and community housing to 10% of all housing stock by 2040; that the Victorian government invest in HAAG’s Home at Last Service to ensure older people across all regional Victoria can receive housing advice and support; and that housing meet accessibility standards to enable people to age in place.
The latest edition of HAAG's newsletter features news from our Federal Election, Public Housing and Retirement Housing campaigns, along with welcomes, farewells, an obituary and a whodunnit review. The cycle of life and the seasons continues in the Autumn edition of Older Tenants Voice
"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."